I still never understand this thinking of blaming Mattel for the distribution. In most cases Mattel simply makes the product and then ships it to the major ports of the US. The retailer (TRU, Target, etc) then pick up the product at said port and take it to their own distribution centers. There is it shipped out to each store as each retailer sees fit. After it hits the dock Mattel has NOTHING to do with it.

I think the only exception is Walmart who picks up the product IN Hong Kong, then bring it to the states, send to distributions centers, send out to store. Rinse, repeat.

Mattel has NOTHING to do with getting products to stores unless you are talking about the hand full of actual Mattel stores like at their HQ.

And Jeff is correct - Scott does not work on any Mattel retail line currently.

I still never understand this thinking of blaming Mattel for the distribution. In most cases Mattel simply makes the product and then ships it to the major ports of the US. The retailer (TRU, Target, etc) then pick up the product at said port and take it to their own distribution centers. There is it shipped out to each store as each retailer sees fit. After it hits the dock Mattel has NOTHING to do with it.

I think the only exception is Walmart who picks up the product IN Hong Kong, then bring it to the states, send to distributions centers, send out to store. Rinse, repeat.

Mattel has NOTHING to do with getting products to stores unless you are talking about the hand full of actual Mattel stores like at their HQ.

And Jeff is correct - Scott does not work on any Mattel retail line currently.

Mattel is directly connected to "how" TARGET, WALMART and any other Company, distribute all MATTEL's toy lines to their individual stores (aka towards cause/effect product being on the pegs). Also, how each of those Company's internal structures keep the pegs full and product selling... hopefully with the goal to trigger more new product coming. All that being said... it starts with (again) how Mattel distributes what they make... via case pack-out ratios, base figure price and support by new mix case refreshers. This is where MATTEL has failed from the get go starting with the mid-term JLU case ratios... then the tail end of DCU, price point and poor figure choices for Young Justice and infamously with the whole GL movie line. Many stores remember all this... and with toy action figures being less sought after... the landscape for new toy lines is worst it's ever been for retail. Mattel by past actions has affected (I think) how these stores view their ability to move product, aka sell.

Not understanding how the action figure landscape has changed seems to be where their problems started... and still not firmly getting the big picture continues to affect their toy lines, the few retail stores that carry their boys figures.. and (to our dismay) us.

In that regard, their distribution fail (that you note above) is not so much about getting product from point A to point B... but more about how MATTEL has made some really terrible choices upon how they provide, price and support these figure lines before they hit the docks.

I think the main thing we need to address here....and we're getting off track here...

..is the decision behind reducing the scale here. But we can't get a hold of the retail team to even discuss a thing with us...so......nevermind. I guess I'm talking in circles, and the former fact makes it a moot point.

So (and I'll admit to a little bit of snark here), send them your resume Geoff so you can show 'em how it's done!

Ha, no thanks.

But, to address your point... where was there anything incorrect in what I outlined/noted?

I'm cool to accept, and discuss, where I may have made a boo-boo.

gd

It not really Mattel's fault the retail chains jumped massively on the first waves of GL that later ended up rotting on the pegs. If TRU says give me a huge number of Wave 1, is Mattel really going to say "Uh, maybe you should order less to leave room for future waves." No, they're gonna pump out what is ordered and count their money.

I think a lot of your beefs are with the BUYERS (i.e. the reps who go to Toyfair and determine what they will order for the chains).

Plus the whole "collectors are only a small part of the action figure pie" argument we've repeated many, many times on AFI.

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thing is, geoff, that you single out Mattel for not adapting with the changing times, but the exact same problems are plaguing almost every company, I would go so far as to say that Hasbro is doing a much worse job at it than Mattel. There was barely any Star Wars product on the pegs for most of last year and the system still hasn't really caught up, yet. Marvel Universe has various peg warmers everywhere I look that have been there for six months or longer and Marvel Legends can't ship enough "new" product out to get the variants they have planned to the pegs. GI Joe distribution is horrible with the big retailers having empty pegs for months on end.

There was barely any Star Wars product on the pegs for most of last year and the system still hasn't really caught up, yet.

I don't blame Hasbro for the lack of SW that was LucasFilm canning the other 2 3-D releases. They had the product ready to go and then had the rug pulled out from under them and had to rework everything (and re-package a lot of stuff). They only got slightly more notice than when the GI Joe movie was bumped back 8 months.

2 of my local walmarts have completely removed Star Wars from their aisles-- that would have been unthinkable-even 2years ago. But they had to make way for all those unsold Superman abominations-- in all scales..

_________________Fastest know derailer of threads in the know universe...expanded or otherwise.

Glad the SW stuff is being removed, that line has been toilet trash for the as many years since Hasblow started it. I hate all the new stuff, vehicles aside, the Hasblow Gi Joe and SW 3 3/4 inch figure designs are utter trash.

Yeah there is a glut of Superman stuff, just like there is a glut of that Iron Man 3 trash, in all scales too, so sick of seeing IM and Marvel Universe garbage, tear it all down!!!!

_________________Mighty Mouse vs Popeye at full spinach strength...you decide who will win?

Walmarts in my area still have Star wars toys. I just saw the 6 inch Star Wars black line & the 4 inch ones the other day. Which I think the 4 inch ones are just rereleased/repackaged figures? Almost every package for the 4 inch figures had tape on them put on by employees . Seems the bubbles don't stick very well to that matte black finish of the card & fall off. Hasbro should look into that.

The 6 inch figures seem to be selling well. Usually if I see them at Walmart or Target it's usually only a single figure or so. Proof that the stores are getting them in, but I have never seen a full asst on the shelves at once.

I really don't see a lot of Marvel Universe stuff peg warming in my area. Those figures sales seem to be alright.

Glad the SW stuff is being removed, that line has been toilet trash for the as many years since Hasblow started it. I hate all the new stuff, vehicles aside, the Hasblow Gi Joe and SW 3 3/4 inch figure designs are utter trash.

Yeah there is a glut of Superman stuff, just like there is a glut of that Iron Man 3 trash, in all scales too, so sick of seeing IM and Marvel Universe garbage, tear it all down!!!!

Okay now I am completely behind what everyone else is saying-- I am negative.. but give me a break-- these statements show you understand absolutely nothing into what constitues a decent toy line.. Yes the Star Wars line is the worst line ever.. You deserve any grief anyone gives you-- I can dislike a line and hate a concept (Movie Masters) but still see the time and effort put into it- (for example- Kamandi-worst character choice ever- still a very well sculpted figure, or I dont care for movie masters-- doesnt mean I can't respect people that like the lines- and that usually they are well sculpted) - you apparently cannot..

That will be the last comment of yours I waste my time reading..

_________________Fastest know derailer of threads in the know universe...expanded or otherwise.